My Jealous Ex-Wolf

Out of Place

"Calm down." Dean sounded slightly humored at my obvious nervousness upon approaching his parents house.

"Easier said than done."

He shook his head before parking the car and turning off the engine. "Look, I'm my parents' only kid...their whole lives have been spent on taking care of me and making sure I'm happy."

"That's sweet Dean, but that doesn't exactly make this any easier?" I knew it sounded bitchy but I really needed that territorial wolf to resurface and go into protective mode and assure me that no one was going to hate me.

"Can't you see that it has everything to do with tonight, my parents want me happy and you ARE my happiness Cassandra."

Suddenly those nervous knots twisting my insides had turned into fluttering butterflies, I couldn't help but smile up at him. "I-I just don't want to disappoint you or do something that would completely make them hate me." I finally confessed.

"I'm more than sure there is close to nothing that you could do that would make them hate you."

"Can you just promise me one thing?" I asked.

"Name it."

"Please don't abandon me tonight." I nearly pouted.

He nodded his agreement, "I personally won't leave your side once if you can promise that you won't judge me based on my family, I'm nothing like most of them."

At that I looked at Dean, so handsome, very smart, driven, passionate, caring...he had begun to paint a picture of some redneck hillbilly relatives and I couldn't wait to see what tonight would bring.

As we got out of the car I could see the familiar Giles house, it's easily spotted from the highway as you drive toward the mall. But walking up to the house it was bigger than I had ever imagined, and I also began to notice small details.

Expertly maintained flowerbeds, plush manicured grass, spotless siding on the large house, spotless Windows and finally we reached the extremely tall wooden door.

"You ready love?"

As nervousness as I was I couldn't keep my smile off my face and nodded before he finally turned the knob and escorted us in.

"Mom, dad...we're here." He sounded, I could swear I had picked up a slight shake in his voice.

. . .

Have you ever walked into a place and suddenly realized that you definitely don't belong there? That was me in this very moment.

The Giles house was a beautiful 2 story home decorated with luxurious furnishings and fine accent pieces. A grand chandelier sparkled above Dean and I as we stood in the posh foyer awaiting his parents.

And not a moment too soon did they finally come over to us. I took in both their appearances and felt horrorstruck, his mother in an elegant gown and his father in a dapper suit.

I smiled out of politeness as I died inside, Dean hadn't mentioned this was a black tie sort of affair, but when he mentioned cooking on the barbecue pit all day I had assumed it was going to be a chill sort of backyard get together.

"You must be Cassandra." The female smiled.

It was easy to tell that this was Dean's mom, they had the same eyes and smile, only her smile bore very prominent dimples on each cheek. She was a tall statuesque beauty in her black form fitting gown and vibrant pattern head scarf.